Blogging for a cause - would you do it?
The more things I have to get done, the more my mind wanders - that leads to more ideas I have, which feeds into my list of things to get done - I am not sure whether I should call this a virtuous or a vicious cycle. Either way, there have been a hundred half baked ideas floating around in my head, all of them screaming for a little thought and time. Where were you, I ask, when I had time on my hands. But how do you ask a newborn child why he wasn’t born earlier? All you can do is embrace him and take care of him. So, today on my way to work, while I should have been flipping through the pages of the Coffee trader, I wondered instead, why I couldn’t combine what I really like to do - writing, that is - and use it for some good cause. Hell, I am not really benefiting from it. Why shouldn’t someone else?
While trying to figure out the chaos that was happening outside the tram thanks to a car that had banged into it, my brain told me that I could somehow combine blogging and a good cause. I have met very few bloggers, yet I feel like I know a lot of them. I could be wrong here, but something tells me that someone who writes for the joy of writing (for very few of us make any money out of this), wouldn’t hesitate to do some of it for public good. My time just doesn’t permit me from taking a holiday to Cambodia to build houses, or to sacrifice my preciously short vacations in India to teach the young, or to fight for AIDS relief in Africa. With my limited time and resources, what I could offer is the ability to write, and a willingness to do so, even if I come back home at midnight dogtired. Now, I may not be the best of writers, but I know a few who could qualify for that title, and if nothing, powers of persuasion and organisation have never failed me - I should be able to convince people to write and put them together into something that makes money, enough to make a difference to someone out there.
People pay to read good articles or stories or poems. People are paid to write good articles or stories or poems. Now, if the people who will write will be willing to write for free, and if you subtract out the publishing and distribution costs, there must be something left behind to dedicate a decent amount to those who need it. Simple logic. I couldn’t be missing something, could I?
I know I know, I am missing a whole lot of details. Sadly, my tram ride ended. And I am at work. The details will have to wait till tonight. But in the meantime, if you have any thoughts on this - please do put them into the comments. Whether you think this whole idea is ridiculous or if you know of some organisation that has done this successfully ( I am aware of some bloggers’ projects which have raised money before, but I am not aware of any that does so in a regular manner and which involves more than a few bloggers or non-bloggers), or if you would like to express your enthusiasm and willingness to help out as and when the time comes - whatever it is, I am all ears.
Update: After trying to explain some of the ideas I had in the comments, I realised how hard it is do that in the comments box rather than in a post of its own. So, if you would like to let me know of some fantastic idea, you can either write about it on your blog, and I will link from here or you can send it to me and I will publish it with due credit. Not that I mind long comments, so feel free to write in a notepad and paste it into my comment box..Cheers!
By writing, do you mean for print media where the cost of publishing and distribution are not trivial, or online media where micropayment or subscription based models have been pretty effective?
You really should increase your comment textarea’s size if you expect people to write long responses without losing track of what was written one para before
Comment by Sig11 — February 21, 2006 @ 1:34 pm
But isn’t that already being done? Like with the tsunami blogs, or the mumbai rain blogs (after disasters), or blogs written for specific orgs (NGOs and what not)? Do you have any specific ideas on what you’re talking about?
Comment by Sunil — February 22, 2006 @ 2:58 am
I really appreciate your intent. I don’t have any thoughts on it either, but if you do start something, then let me know, I would love to pitch in.
Comment by Shruthi — February 22, 2006 @ 7:35 am
Sig11 : What I had in mind when I wrote that post was something related to print media. I havent completely thought through it yet, so its just some ideas for now. Online media, even though it may be easier to implement, is harder to make money from.. (Will increase the text area, as soon as I figure out how..=))
Sunil : ya, the Tsunami blogs et al are great stuff…but I think their aim is to create awareness, provide information and act as a means of accepting donations (as far as I could understand). What I have in mind, would involve more selling, rather than asking for donations… Writing for NGOs is another great option, and I think now there a few individuals who write for a few organisations - what would be nice would be to have a mechanism to match any NGO’s need for awareness, with people who are willing to write for them (which then the NGO can use in any form). I have a few ideas, but I think I will put that together in a post, after giving it some thought, and not try to squeeze into a comment..I am not sure if you were involved in any of the tsunami, mumbai rain or other blogs, but would appreciate any opinions, if you know more about them and how effective they were etc..
Shruthi: Thanks a lot for expessing your interest..I will definitely keep that in mind when I start something. But being part of the consensus oriented society we were born in, I will be putting up my ideas before I start anything, so watch this space - so you can comment and have a voice on the ideas, before deciding to pitch in..
Comment by Sue — February 22, 2006 @ 9:41 am
Hi ! Came here via Desipundit and would love to be part of any such initiative. And, I will think more about it too. Plus, what a nice blog template!
Comment by Sunrayz — February 22, 2006 @ 10:38 am
You know that I’m a ready volunteer for any venture you might consider pursuing.
The whole problem with writing for a cause is the lack of transparency. I’ve given it a fair amount of thought as well simply because I know a lot of VERY good writers who want to do something worthwile. Sadly, that’s all they want to do - write. When you go down the process chain, that’s really not enough. We need at least a couple of people dedicated to it on a fulltime basis. And someone who is reading anything ralated to development issues is probably writing and or doing something about it already?
Having said that, work on your thought process and see if you can come up with something.. would love to join hands..
Comment by Surreal Reality — February 25, 2006 @ 8:09 am
Sunrayz: Thanks.. =)
Surreal Reality: I know writers just want to write. But writing in itself must be worth something..We’ll talk some time. btw, I am still waiting eagerly for a blog post about your development work. Would love to read about your experiences there.
Comment by Sue — February 25, 2006 @ 2:01 pm
A good idea is only as good as its execution. (Alyque Padamsee, A Double Life)
Here’s a thought that’s been on my mind for quite sometime, which I see you’ve echoed as well. The reason I’ve mentioned the above quote is because I realise the importance of backing a good idea with a clear vision and a deft implementation. I’ll keep in touch.
Comment by Anil D. — February 26, 2006 @ 11:05 pm